MotorGuide Quit Working...Need Help!

92Nitro190TF · October 12, 2009, 07:38:54 PM

Hello,
I have a MotorGuide TR-82 Tour variable speed trolling motor not sure of the year. Today out on the water she quit working.

I replaced the micro-switch in the foot pedal last week and that got her back up and running.

Today, I got shallow and into a brush pile. I used the pull rope to raise the trolling motor up to the surface of the water and gave some power to the trolling motor to goose the boat around the limbs in the water. Right when I was finished the trolling motor stopped working.

At first I thought it was the breakers. I checked them and they were not set off but I reset the just to make sure, and she still didn't work.

Is there something I could have messed up on the trolling motor? Or something to check or reset?

I just went out with my voltmeter and checked some things out.

I charged my trolling batteries back up and went to the trolling motor pedal to get some readings. At the pedal where the power goes to it I am getting 25.52 volts with my fresh charged batteries.

At the micro switch (button I push with my foot to make the trolling motor turn on) I was getting .261 volts. When I pushed the button I got 00.000 volts.

Does this mean the new switch I just installed is bad? I would think when I push the switch I should be getting more than 00.000 volts.

Thanks for your help in advance.

William

Mike Cork · October 13, 2009, 12:06:39 PM

Measure the voltage going to the switch then press the button and see how much you have after the switch. Would be the way to check the switch, I may have miss read what you were saying and that's what you did.

Not sure how much voltage you should have after the switch but you should definitely have something. I would say something is wrong with the switch again, either a bad wire connection or just a bad switch.

White Lightening · October 13, 2009, 01:36:24 PM

Hey Mike, It sounds just like what I had happen to my Motor Guide. I took it into the shop and it was totally shot inside. It appears to have had a bad seal and the inside was full of water and the mother board and brushes and everything was totally shot. It ended up costing my $484 to get it back running but now it is a brand new TM in an old case. I hope this isn't your issue but it sounds like it. Good Luck

92Nitro190TF · October 13, 2009, 05:44:08 PM

Quote from: Mike on October 13, 2009, 12:06:39 PM
Measure the voltage going to the switch then press the button and see how much you have after the switch. Would be the way to check the switch, I may have miss read what you were saying and that's what you did.

Not sure how much voltage you should have after the switch but you should definitely have something. I would say something is wrong with the switch again, either a bad wire connection or just a bad switch.

I did check the volts at the switch. I was getting .261 volts without doing anything. Then when I pressed the button (Switch that you step on) I would get 00.000 volts. I would think when I pressed the button I would have gotten voltage. Without doing anything I was getting less than 1 volt.

I think I might have a bad micro switch, but not sure what to do to check all the things out to narrow it down to the micro-switch. I might just get another micro switch and see if that was my problem, if it's not, I have a spare. For $15 not a bad for a spare if it's not the problem.

92Nitro190TF · October 13, 2009, 05:46:35 PM

Quote from: White Lightening on October 13, 2009, 01:36:24 PM
Hey Mike, It sounds just like what I had happen to my Motor Guide. I took it into the shop and it was totally shot inside. It appears to have had a bad seal and the inside was full of water and the mother board and brushes and everything was totally shot. It ended up costing my $484 to get it back running but now it is a brand new TM in an old case. I hope this isn't your issue but it sounds like it. Good Luck

I pray it's not the issue and that it's something inexpensive that I can fix. I just am trying to figure out what to check and what to trouble-shoot.

Ron Fogelson · October 13, 2009, 06:01:39 PM

Quote from: White Lightening on October 13, 2009, 01:36:24 PM
Hey Mike, It sounds just like what I had happen to my Motor Guide. I took it into the shop and it was totally shot inside. It appears to have had a bad seal and the inside was full of water and the mother board and brushes and everything was totally shot. It ended up costing my $484 to get it back running but now it is a brand new TM in an old case. I hope this isn't your issue but it sounds like it. Good Luck

I was thinking the same thing, the part about hitting the tree make me think that due to running the motor into the ground or brush or whatever can cause issues with not only bending the shaft so the seal gives out but also can cause dead spots in the brushes.

Try turning the prop by hand a 1/4 turn than hit the switch, if it won't work keep turning the prop 1/4 turn at a time and see if you can get it to come on. The part of the zero volts after the switch could be because the motor is so bad that it is grounding out everything. You can by pass the switch to see if it's bad, just wire direct and see if it comes on.

Good Luck, I hope it's an easy fix.
Fogy

92Nitro190TF · October 13, 2009, 06:34:46 PM

Quote from: Fogy on October 13, 2009, 06:01:39 PM
I was thinking the same thing, the part about hitting the tree make me think that due to running the motor into the ground or brush or whatever can cause issues with not only bending the shaft so the seal gives out but also can cause dead spots in the brushes.

Try turning the prop by hand a 1/4 turn than hit the switch, if it won't work keep turning the prop 1/4 turn at a time and see if you can get it to come on. The part of the zero volts after the switch could be because the motor is so bad that it is grounding out everything. You can by pass the switch to see if it's bad, just wire direct and see if it comes on.

Good Luck, I hope it's an easy fix.
Fogy

How do I bypass the switch to see if that is what is bad? If I can't get this figured out I just might look for a local TM repair shop and see what they have to say but I am hoping to avoid that.

I didn't actually hit the brushpile or anything with the trolling motor. I noticed I was getting up shallow in it so I pulled the TM up and goosed it with the TM prop just in the water to get the boat from the brush. So I hope I don't have a seal that is going or went bad.

Thanks for all the input so far!

William

92Nitro190TF · October 23, 2009, 03:54:04 PM

Well, I ended up taking my TM into the shop. It ended up being the circuit card going bad. It's being replaced right now and will be ready to hit the water in the am!!!!

Thanks to all who helped!

William

BassBUFF · October 24, 2009, 04:12:56 PM

Thanks for the follow-up! Glad to hear you're good to go!

92Nitro190TF · October 25, 2009, 06:39:29 PM

The Tech said usually on the Motorguide Digital TM's when the circuit card goes or starts to go that it will do one of two things. Quit working all together or the variable speed will get stuck on one speed. My TM quit working. He showed me my circuit card on the pins were burnt from going bad. Was alot cheaper getting it fixed than buying a new TM.

Helomd · November 01, 2009, 01:48:00 PM

I kinda have the same problem. My motor will run but the motor varies like it is shorting out. I have repaired a trolling motor before but this is a 109 Digital and it sounds like the mother board did get wet, I had moisture but not allot. When the mother board goes will the motor hesitate and then speed up and then run slow?

Gary